The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-03-19
THE LEAK IN THE CHURCH OIL
A True Story Which Explains why 1t Hap
pened and Teaches u Good Moral.

Tx Liam iIN TIE WV nST1 OILs
"A True Story Which Explains why 1t Hap
pened and Teaches n Good Moral.
Johnnie Carr was bright, pleasant
boy and a general favorite in the town
where he lived. His parents loved him
very much, but, like other boys, he had
his faults. One was reluctant obedi-
ence. He always intended to obey his
father and mother, but wanted to do it
in his own time and his own way. One
Saturday afternoon he was sent to the
store for oil. His mother said:
go straight there, Johnnie, and
don't stop anywhere"
Johnnie promised, but on the way he
met Nicholas Barnes, called for short
''Nick." He was a new boy in town,
and had several times made a great
deal of trouble for his folks. Johnnie
had promised not to have any thing to
do with Nick.
But Nick had met Johnnie few days
before, and offered him some candy
Johnnie took it, saying to himself:
''Nick is not so bad as some people
think"
This time Nick met him as if he had
been an old friend, asking, "Where
you going?"
"Store for oil" replied Johnnie.
"All that for oil?" replied Nick.
Eyes"
mo change back? Not red, John
nie?' ......
mot a red" answered Johnnie.
Nick thought moment, then he be-
gan to talk of something different.
"When we going to have some choco-
late creamsP"
Johnnie's mouth watered, for he was
very fond of that kind of confection-
cry. He sighed as he said: Dunno;
money is scarce down our way"
They were now nearing the church.
Lets sit down here on the old
South steps and talk it over" said
Nick. Lets see, treated on choco-
late last time, now its your turn"
Johnnie hal not thoug of that
when he accepted half the contents of
the ca dy bag! For the first time it
dawned upon him that Nick would ex-
pect him to return the compliment.
He said: II dunno when it'll be, Nick.
Pas sold one of his horses cause he
was short f,r none he's going TO
make one do all the work, so l don't
think I'll get much spending money
this summer"
Suddenly queer look came over
b Nick face. He spoke quickly but in
a low tone.
''You just keep still a minute, JOIN
ME, I'll tell you something"
He dashed away W thout giving any
information. Johnnie kept "still"
until he was ired of it; and was about
starting for the store when Nick APP
peared, very much excited.
Johnnie" he said, 1--WE can have
some chocolates to-day"
''How SOP"
at came into my head just now
when see the old sexton going down
into the graveyard" said Nick. Hes
left the church open, the cellar doors
unlocked and there's whole barrel of
kerosene in there ~
As the plan flashed upon Johnnie's
mind, his face grew very red. Nick
did not seem to notice this and went
on:
Lets fill the can, who'll know the
difference? l guess two quarts of oil
won't kill nobody"
Johnnie was greatly shocked, but be-
fore he could speak Nick had dsap-
peared with the can. When he re-
turned it was full. He passed it to
Johnnie, who shrank back.
II can't take the oil Nick; it don't
belong to me. It's stealing"
Stealing? Oh, no." said Nick,
slowly. Now you look here, this oil
belongs to the parish, and your pa is
one of them. So you see part of the
oil is his'n."
He stopped suddenly with look of
fright, the old sexton was returning.
Evidently Nick thought his argument
would not convince him, for he said
hurriedly:
at won't do for us to hang around
here any longer; he'll know the whole
thing. Let's hide the can and have
some fun up town."
AS they went, Nick seeing that John
ME did not feel right about it said:
1.-THE South Church folks are rich as
mud. An old Teller died here once, and
left them piles of money to run things
with. So this oil don't come out O.
them. 1t won't hurt them to give us a
little once in awhile, as longs they got
a whole barrel. Ii the sexton don't
lock up the cellar I'm going to fill
mothers cam"
BY this time the boys had arrived at
the store. Soon their pockets were full